Play time is over! Parents claim that children in South Kessock have had no safe place to play throughout the summer holidays after Highland Council took away their play equipment on Health and safety grounds
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A community is fighting back after, it says, its youngsters were left with nowhere safe to play for the entirety of the school summer holidays.
According to residents in Inverness’s South Kessock area, some children were playing in the park in Kessock Avenue at the start of the holidays when council workers arrived without warning to remove play equipment there.
This week members of the community gathered at the now empty site to call for the treasured park to be reinstated.
They said they were told by the council that apparatus was removed on health and safety grounds, but are angry they were not consulted on the move beforehand.
The council insists officials are working with the South Kessock Residents Association on future plans for the area.
Association chairwoman Merrin Avis said equipment removed included a climbing frame and a slide as well as benches used by adults visiting the park with their children.
“They already removed the rocking animals last year,” she said.
Although aware that the park had been visited by local councillors, she said, the association had been hoping for quick repairs to be carried out.
“That was the only safe spot for kids to play,” she added.
Association secretary Sonia Cooper said the park was vital to help with children’s development and social interactions.
“There’s nothing for them to do [otherwise],” she said.
Jade Shields, from nearby Carnarc Crescent, said her two-year-old son Toby used to enjoy playing there and they now had to drive to another site between Anderson Street and Grant Street in Merkinch.
Kyrena Speed, from Kessock Avenue, said her 18-month-old daughter Amayah Hilson also enjoyed the play park.
She said: “I think it was horrible to take it away. There are a lot of kids here that deserve a park.”
A Highland Council spokeswoman said councillors had, however, already taken the decision that the area in Kessock Avenue had no future as a play park, with investment being promised for a site in Craigton Avenue instead.
“During 2021/22 members and officers visited play parks to get an understanding of the condition of the play equipment, where investment was needed, and to develop a place-based plan based on members’ priorities for the ward,” she said.
“As part of this consultation it was identified that it was no longer possible to repair the equipment at the play park at Kessock Avenue and that instead be made in the play park at Craigton Avenue and the play equipment at Kessock Avenue be removed.
“This approach was discussed at the ward business meeting in January 2022 and a sum of £55,000 subsequently agreed at the city of Inverness area committee to upgrade the equipment at Craigton Avenue.
“The site [in Kessock Avenue] will no longer be a designated play area but will be available as a community greenspace with opportunities for biodiversity and wildlife and, if required, as an area for community food growing.
“The safety of our play equipment and the safety of our users drives our decisions.
“It was not affordable to upgrade both sites so members agreed to prioritise the nearby play area at Craigton Avenue for the £55,000 of place-based investment and consultation with the community is planned/under way on what that upgrade will look like.
“Officers have been working with the South Kessock Residents Association to organise a community engagement day at the community garden in South Kessock. The event is to be used to gather views on community food growing as well as the new play park.”
The spokeswoman said a letter detailing the plans had been sent to office bearers at Merkinch Community Council in March but this week chairwoman Dell McClurg told the HN she had received no communication on the matter.
• Highland councillors were discussing a strategy to bring the region’s 321 play parks up to scratch as the HN went to print yesterday – including 93 in Inverness (eight of which are set to close). Highland Council estimates the repairs bill for 2022/23 at £3.5 million.
